In the midst of deep cuts on J. Cole‘s fourth album 4 Your Eyez Only (which debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 with 492,000 equivalent units in its first week), the North Carolina MC offers a relationship goals-friendly track with “Foldin’ Clothes” and the two-part love note “She’s Mine.”
Showing his softer side has helped Cole land some of his biggest chart hits, including the Miguel-assisted “Power Trip.” But even before he became the founder of Dreamville Records, the usually private Roc Nation MC has shared several tracks for the ladies.
Below are the St. John’s University alum’s most memorable love songs (in no particular order).
“Dreams”
Cole finds himself crushing hard on the girl of his dreams on this entry from his 2009 project The Warm Up.
“Sparks Will Fly” Feat. Jhene Aiko
A bonus cut on the extended version of his sophomore effort Born Sinner, this Jhene Aiko duet came together thanks to No I.D.
“She Knows” Feat. Amber Coffman & Cults
Not a sentimental slow jam but the track finds Cole admitting that he tries to fight off temptations while on the road: “This is Martin Luther King in the club/Getting dubs, with a bad b—h/In his ear sayin’ she down for whatever/In the back of his mind is Coretta.”
“In The Morning” Feat. Drake
Cole and collaborator Drake are direct about their morning rituals.
“Power Trip” Feat. Miguel
This romantic number found Cole in a different element that paired nicely with Miguel’s swoon-worthy vocals. Cole told Billboard in 2013 around the time “Power Trip” was released, “It felt right to introduce a new sound.”
“Wet Dreamz”
While the visual depicted puppy love (literally), this 2014 Forest Hills Drive offering finds Cole spitting rhymes about losing his virginity.
“Work Out”
Cole’s 2011 debut Cole Word: The Sideline Story delivered this cardio-ready single where Cole borrows a line from Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” for the hook: “Now tell me do you wanna love me forever?/Or is it just a hit and run?”
“Nobody’s Perfect” Feat. Missy Elliott
Teaming with Misdemeanor, J. Cole flaunts his flaws for this Cole World standout.
“Deja Vu”
Sampling 1998’s “Shorty Swing My Way” from K.P. & Envyi (as also heard on Bryson Tiller’s “Exchange”), Cole scored his first ever Hot 100 debut with this sexy number, which follows the same theme as the aforementioned “Dreams” where he lusts over another man’s woman.
“She’s Mine, Pt. 1” and “Pt. 2.”
“I’ve never felt so alive,” sings Cole. “I’ve fallen in love for the first time.” This two-part finds the rapper crooning to a special woman and later, a newborn baby. Have Kleenex handy for both versions.
“Love Yourz”
This 2014 Forest Hills Drive deep cut sets itself apart in that it is a self-love anthem.
“Foldin Clothes”
A mundane chore becomes an instant turn-on as J. Cole offers to be an MVP house husband just to make his lady feel good.